Monds



(No Model.)

W. E. SIMONDS.

SILO.

Patented Sept. 1, 1885.

N. PRTERS. Pholo-Lllhcgnpher. Wadxinglon. By C.

and weighting ofensilage.

UNlTED STATES PATENT Carine.

XVILLIAM EDGAR SIMONDS, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

SlLO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 325,365, dated September 1, 1885.

Application filed February 2, 1885. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM EDGAR- SI- MONDS, of Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement Pertaining to Silos, whereof the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, whereon the figure is a view of a silo wherein said improvement is practiced in vertical cross-section.

A silo is a pit, usually rectangular in plan, made of suitable material, as concrete, wherein some green forage-crop, as lndian'corn, usually cut fine, and called ensilage, is stored and kept for winter use as fodder for cattle. At this writing silos have been in use in these United States only a few years. Heavy weightingofthe ensilage-one hundred pounds per square foot and upwardis considered necessary. The common mode of covering and weighting ensilage is (after placing a few inches in depth of straw or the like over the ensilage) to place a layer or layers of planks over the whole surface, and then place heavy stones or other separate weights upon the planks. In some instances a set of powerful screws have been used to attain the desired pressure. I

My improvement relates to the covering In the accompanying drawing, the letter (t denotes the silo. [2 denotes the ensilage. 0 denotes planking. d denotes a heavy canvas sheet laid over the entire upper surface of the planks and extending upward upon the walls of the silo, say eighteen inches. 6 denotes dry sand spread with substantial uniformity over the sheet to a depth of, say, fifteen inches, which will give a weight or pressure exceeding one hundred pounds per square foot, as dry sand commonly weighs about ninetythrce pounds per cubic foot.

Some of the advantages which this mode of weighting and covering ensilage has, as corn pared with the common mode, are- First. It is very desirable, as in the c0mmon canning processes, that the ensilage should be sealed, so far as it is practicable, from the outer atmospheric air. This desideratum is entirely absent in any mode of covering or weighting silos heretofore known. By the use i of my improvement this scaling is practically attained, the sand and the canvas acting like a huge valve which permits the escape of the gases of fermentation between the wall and the upturned canvas, with a very slight upward pressure, while atmospheric air is effectually prevented from entering.

Second. The sand acts with a uniform pressure over every part of the ensilage, while separate weights or screws act directly at certain points only and indirectly at all intermediate points, giving no uniformity of pressure.

Third. When heavy weights or powerful screws are used for the weighting, more than one man is necessary for the handling of the weights or the adjustment of the screws. In using sand one man is entirely adequate to the work. The lifting of heavy weights is hard labor. The placing and displacing of sand with a shovel is light labor.

I have specified the weighting material as dry sand, and this is to my mind the best material for the purpose; but of course other varieties of earth might be used, or even other than the earthy material, and be the equivalent of the sand. Of course the sand or other material might be used wet; but it is better that it be dry.

I have described the canvas sheet as having planking between it and the ensilage. The planking might be dispensed with; butit is better that the planking be present.

The sheet used is by preference of stout cotton duck, thoroughly water-proofed or coated with paint, such as is used in making tarpaulins. I have practically used the improvement herein described in my own silo for two seasons, beginning with the fall of A. D. 1883, with most excellent results in the quality of the ensilage, and pointing to the conclusion that a single sheet will last many years.

I claim as my improvement- The cover for ensilage contained within a silo, consisting of sheeting and superimposed earth, substantially as described.

\VILLIAM EDGAR SIMONDS.

WVitnesses:

A. G. TANNER, H. R. WILLIAMs. 

